By Pam Albo July and August July begins the monsoon season. This is the time to trim trees to protect them from the high monsoon winds. (See Tree Trimming article in this newsletter.) Now is a good time to transplant tropical favorites such as adeniums, plumeria, and palm trees. Fertilize these regularly throughout the summer. Check all plants to make sure they’re getting enough water. Add mulch to potted plants to help keep water moisture from evaporating in the hot summer months. Organic...

By Pam Albo Whether you're looking for a low-maintenance landscape plant, a container specimen, or an addition to your rock garden, Blue Elf aloe is well suited to life in the Phoenix area. These drought-tolerant succulents thrive in full sun, including areas that receive hot, reflected heat. Partial shade also poses no problem for this small aloe hybrid. The Blue Elf aloe is prized for its upright, silvery blue-gray foliage and vibrant spikes of coral-orange flowers. It blooms from late...

By Pam Albo Spring is coming which means it’s time to prune, fertilize, and plant. March Planting is recommended early to let your plants become established before the hot summer heat in our area. This is the ideal time to prune existing shrubs, such as lantana and bougainvillea. Fertilize roses after each bloom, continuing every 2-4 weeks. If you haven’t already, it’s time to prune roses by cutting them back 50%. April Water succulents every other week. This is the last month to plant...

FIREBUSH ( hamelia patens ) By Pam Albo Gardeners love Firebush because it produces flowers from late spring until the first winter frost. The bright red flowers are filled with nectar and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Songbirds also like to feed on its berries. Firebush produces clusters of bright orange to red tubular flowers. Fruits are small green berries that turn red and purplish as they mature. It is also a great plant to grow in the Phoenix Area because it is heat and drought...

By Pam Albo December/January These are the coldest months of the year in the greater Phoenix area. Be prepared to cover frost sensitive plants on evenings when temperatures are below 30 degrees. Use frost cloth available at nurseries or sheets or towels. Pick spent blossoms and fruit. Pick fruit on the outside of fruit trees that is more exposed to frost. Prune rose bushes by one half but do not feed until February. Remove dead branches from trees and plants but delay heavy pruning until...

By Pam Albo We garden in an arid desert, and the Pink Fairy Duster is a drought tolerant shrub that is perfect for desert landscaping. Plus, it loves full sun and heat. A bonus is it will add a zap of color to your garden. Fairy Duster produces pink blossoms that look like little feather dusters from Spring through Fall. It’s native to southwest desert areas and very easy to care for . Full direct sunlight works best for Fairy Duster. It also does well with reflected heat from walls. A medium...

By Pam Albo APRIL GARDENING - Spring is here! March and April are the prime months for planting. Plant shrubs, flowering annuals and...

By Pam Albo Summer flowers can give your garden landscape the pop of color you’re looking for – even in the heat! Annuals will die off...

By Pam Albo Winter Gardening January and early February are the coldest months of the year in the Phoenix area, so be prepared to cover...

By Pam Albo Size: Red yucca is an attractive grass-like succulent that is drought-tolerant and low maintenance. Featuring long and...

Gardening during the summer months in Phoenix is challenging. Hold off planting anything until mid-September. Most plants struggle to...

By Pam Albo Also called Elephant Bush (portulacaria afra), this shrubby evergreen succulent is native to southern Africa where it is a...